Russia-Ukraine conflict: US accuses Russia of plotting provocative actions
A US official has said Russia is plotting "provocative actions" to find an excuse to invade Ukraine.
A Pentagon spokesman for Russia's Pentagon said in a statement that Russia was planning to launch a "False Flag" operation in Ukraine so that Moscow could accuse it of plotting to invade Ukraine, but Russia denied the allegations. Has given
The allegations come a week after talks between the United States and Russia eased tensions.
Ukraine on Friday accused Russia of backing cyberattacks on dozens of government websites.
Before the sites went offline, a message appeared urging Ukrainians to "be prepared for the worst." However, access to most sites was restored within hours.
The United States and NATO have condemned the attack and offered assistance to Ukraine. Russia has not commented on the hacking.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday, ''It was all part of Russia's plan''.
He said, ''Russia has already deployed a group of operatives in what we call a fake flag operation''.
U.S. officials say the operatives have been trained in civilian warfare tactics and the use of explosives in sabotage operations against pro-Russian rebels.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry says similar operations are being planned against Russian troops stationed in the Transnistrian region, which has seceded from Moldova.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reports "unconfirmed".
America's dramatic step
''Defense Ministry correspondent's Barbara Platt Usher's analysis''
It is not uncommon for the United States to expose such specific intelligence commitments, but the Biden administration has explicitly thwarted any Russia's militant claims against Ukraine by exposing its alleged tactics of sabotage and misinformation.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States wanted the world to know how the game could be played out for the attack because the scenario was from the same playbook that the Russians used in Crimea.
It is a dramatic step after a week of intense diplomacy in which proposals were made but no agreement was reached on how to resolve the crisis.
Kirby says the administration still believes there is time and space for diplomacy and that it does not believe President Vladimir Putin has made a final decision to invade Ukraine further.
The Russians deny any wrongdoing. The United States has been waiting for Putin's next move, but has not remained silent, threatening to impose "financial sanctions" and other consequences if Russia tries to infiltrate Ukraine further.
The remarks came after an earlier statement from US National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan.
Jake told reporters that Russia was trying to use Ukraine as an excuse to invade Ukraine.
He said it was the same method Russia used when occupying Crimea in 2014.
Russia has tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, as well as a stockpile of weapons, raising fears of an attack.
US and Russian officials have been negotiating for the past week to ease tensions over Ukraine, but no agreement seems to have been reached.
Russia denies planning to invade Ukraine but wants assurances against NATO's eastward expansion, but Western nations say they are unable to do so.